Dock didn't do it!

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kristin High`
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  On the outside looking in, most see Dock Harris, 2nd Medical Group pharmacy volunteer, as a retiree that helps to check-in their prescriptions. No one would realize he has an incredible past serving in both the Navy and the Army Air Corps.

For the past 32 years, Harris has been a fixture at the pharmacy, a volunteer job the pharmacy superintendent talked him into in 1982.

January 4, 1945, Harris was 15 years-old when he enlisted in the Navy as a gunner. Although the legal age for enlisting was 17, he used altered documents to convince officials he qualified.

"I was hungry," he said. "I couldn't find a job that would pay me enough to take care of everything I needed."

In August of 1945, he was given the option of re-enlisting or getting out of Navy.

"I had enough water to last me forever!" he said.

Harris left the Navy and became a cashier earning $25 a week.

In 1948, Harris joined the Army Air Corps at the age of 18. He worked as a weapons specialist and trainer.

During this time he also worked as Military Police in Houston, where he would patrol the train and bus stations for soldiers that were too far from their base without proper paperwork.

"You make a move and you're dead!" he told them then. "It was unfortunate but the next day I'd have to drive them down to Galveston and turn them in," he added.

Harris never got the chance to reenlist. Four days before he was eligible, Harris's Captain delivered him a letter. Operations were ramping up in Korea and he would not be allowed to leave the Army Air Corps whether he wanted to or not.

In June 1950, Harris went to Korea where he served until receiving a career ending injury. He was retired from the Army Air Corps in 1951.

Harris spent years in and out of the hospital recovering from losing his leg.

A few years later, he married his wife Linda in 1963. They later went on to have six children, 12 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren with an additional one on the way.

He worked random jobs throughout town until 1982, when Harris was picking up his medications, that he began speaking to Chief Master Sgt. Chuck Everton. They became acquainted and Everton asked Harris if he'd like to volunteer at the pharmacy to help them out with their growing clientele.

"I started all this foolishness over 32 years ago," Harris chuckled. "I've been here for four major renovations in the hospital and I'll be around for many more."